In the Pipeline April

In The Pipeline: April

Happy Spring Friends!! Daffodils are creeping up all over Aberdeen. The shops are full of bright blossoms.  The sun is hanging around longer and longer. Soon there will be fields of yellow. I am a big fan of spring! The coming of a new season and the resurrection of life out of the darkness of winter reminds …

Snapshots of Versailles Palace, France, Paris

Snapshots of Versailles

A Winter Visit to the Palace of Versailles I’m pretty sure there are three main reasons it took me five trips to Paris to finally make it to Versailles: Number 1. My first four visits to Paris were really short. Number 2. On three of those occasions I had children with me who would have whined …

Eating in Paris, Belly of Paris, Paris Food, Context Travel

Snapshots of Eating in Paris

In a corner of a massive gothic church in the heart of Paris is a monument to the fruit and vegetable sellers who, after 800 years of selling goods in front of this church, were relocated to a suburb in Paris to make way for a train station and a giant shopping mall. Until 1969, …

Shopping in Paris

Snapshots of Shopping in Paris

Snapshots of Shopping in Paris Mama was lagging behind as we made our way through the Tuileries. Jet lag had caught up with her on our first full day in Paris, and we all needed re-fueling after a morning of walking and sightseeing. But then, we hit the Champs-Élysées. The Grandest Boulevard in all of …

Snapshots of Paris

Snapshots of Paris

20 of my favorite Snapshots of Paris! I’m sharing a few highlight Snapshots of Paris today! This is just a little taste of our fab week in Paris. I’ll have to dedicate several posts just to the glorious food we ate, so look for la gastronomie themed photos next! Every time I go to Paris I …

Pierre Hermes Macaron, Macaroon, Paris, In The Pipeline

In The Pipeline: March

Bonjour Mes Amis! I have have just returned from Paris where I spent the week with my mom and sister eating ALL THE THINGS. I am still full. Full of gorgeous pastries. Full of rich sauces. Full of new experiences. Now my mom and I are back in Scotland, where we are taking long walks …

Aberdeen At First Glance, Scotland,Travel With Children, Moving Abroad

Out and About in Aberdeen

Aberdeen, the third largest city in Scotland, is often overlooked by guidebooks and tourists, and there are good reasons for preferring Edinburgh and Glasgow to Aberdeen. However, now that I’ve lived here for a season and shown the area to countless friends, I would vouch for Aberdeen as a decent weekend getaway. Last month I went on …

Ten Days in the UK by Car, Travel, England, Scotland

Ten Days in The UK by Car

Ten Days in the UK by Car This is a whirlwind tour of the UK in a rental car, and if you have more time, I would recommend doing a full week in England and a full week in Scotland, but like I said in my itinerary by train, 10 days seems to be about …

From the London Eye, England, Ten Days in the UK

Ten Days in The UK via Train

Ten Days in the UK via Train Friends, I have been playing a lot this month with creating itineraries around the UK, partly because I am still trying to fit in a few last wanders through the Britain before our time is up and also because I often find myself making recommendations to others about where …

Packing Light Weekend Edition, Europe, UK, travel

Packing Light Weekend Edition

Packing Light Weekend Edition Since I usually travel with my backpack whether I am on the road for five days or fifteen, I wondered if I could get it down even smaller the last time I went to London for the weekend. I set myself the challenge of carrying just a small handbag. And guys! …

In the pipeline, February, Love

In The Pipeline: February

 Happy Month Full Of Love!! February is a month of showing big love to all the people in my life, not just Taido. (Though I love him the most.) This month I am trying to send more letters and emails and texts that are FULL of LOVE. Join me…it’s SUCH a good way to use …

Caledonian Sleeper Train, London to Scotland, Aviemore

Snapshots of the Caledonian Sleeper Train

I’ve taken a lot of trains during my time in Europe but this year for the first time I took the sleeper train from London to Scotland. I’ve been super curious about this experience for a while, so I was excited to see what it was like. I opted for a “single berth” instead of …

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Snapshots of Winter in Scotland

Winter came early to Scotland this year. This snowfall was back in November. I glimpsed the Highlands of Scotland all covered in snow from my train window. The sun was coming up, turning the snow to pink.   I was on my way to Aviemore, to spend the weekend with my family and sweet friends …

River Don, January 2016, In The Pipeline

In The Pipeline: January

Happy New Year, friends!! The sun came out today for the first time since Christmas. It was short-lived but glorious after days and days of rain. I walked one of my usual routes near the River Don just to see how much of it was flooded. Our little pedestrian bridge was closed because the water …

Tarland, Chasing Daylight, Before you and With you, Scotland Walks, Aberdeenshire

Before You and With You

Me: “Who wants a mince pie?” Ben: “I do!” Simon: “No, thank you.” Mary Polly: “Nope.” Me: “You might want to try them this year. This could be our last Christmas to have mince pies.” The replies come back all at once: “Don’t say that!” “No!” “Shhh!” It is the question we are asked most often …